Railroad-rail joint



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. D. TRAMMBLL.

RAILROAD RAIL JOINT.

- N0.v578,789. Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

R/ Fy E D 1: 4 D

WITNESSES INVENTOR,

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. D. TRAMMELL.

RAILROAD .RAIL JOINT.

Patented Mai. 16,1897.

NVENTOR 5 man I. 7522 mmzill'. j

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. JEFFERSON D. TRAMMELL, OF PALESTINE, TEXAS.

RAILROAD-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,789, dated March16, 1s97.

Ap lication fil d August 24,1896. Serial No. 603,745. (No model.) A

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J EFFERSON D. TEAM- MELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Palestine, in the county of Anderson and State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailroad-Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of railroad-rail joints in which theends of the main rails meet and are secured together at a point midwaybetween two of the supporting crossties; and it consists of a novelcombination of a T-shaped splice-rail suspended below the base of themain rails between the cross-ties with opposite anglesplice-bars boltedto the main rails and having depending inwardlyprojecting jaws below thebase of the main rails supporting the opposite lateral flanges of theT-shaped splice-rail and connected with downwardly-curved truss-boltspassing through the vertical member of the splice-rail insuch manner asto hold all of the parts firmly together, with the object of preventingmore deflection at the joint than at other parts of the main rails andto hold the rail ends in true surface with each other as the loadedWheels pass from one to the other and at the same time preserve therequisite elasticity and admit of the expansion and contraction of themain rails from changes of temperature.

In practice the splice-bars and splice-rail cannot with safety be boltedor clamped more firmly to the main rails than will readily admit of theexpansion and contraction of the main rails incident to the ordinarydaily changes of temperature, and yet duringthe instant of passage ofthe loaded wheels at far greater firmness is desired, and I attain thisin the manner hereinafter-described.

My invention is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, which, withletters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of arailroad-rail joint constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2is an enlarged vertical cross-section of the same on the line V V inFig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line ZZ, Fig. 1.

Any or all of the parts may be made either of iron or steel, accordingto choice of individuals. The essential features of the splicerail arethat its top shall be flat and composed of two equal opposite lateralflanges of any desired width not exceeding the width of the base of themain rails and a central vertical member below the said flanges, and itmay be of What is ordinarily called T iron or steel, or it may be of asection similar to that of the main rails, in which case old railsotherwise unfit for use or the short ends sawed off as waste in themanufacture of new rails may be advantageously used in an invertedposition. In the accompanying drawings I have shown the splice-rail ofthe latter, while the dotted lines at lower part of the splice-rail,Fig. 3, complete the true form of the T shape.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in each of the views inwhich they appear.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, R R are the main rails, of the usual form, andthey meet at J, Fig. 1, between the cross-ties T T.

H, Fig.3, is a T-shaped splice-rail flat on top fitting under andparallel with the main rails,havin g its opposite ends abutting againstthe cross-ties T T, nearest the joint J, Fig. 1.

A A, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are the opposite angle splice-bars, having jawsa, ct, Fig. 3, de-

pending from their lower or lateral flanges and projecting under theopposite lateral flanges 72; h of the splice-rail. The upper portions ofthe angle splice-bars are made to fit in between the head and base ofthe main rails in the usual manner, While their dependinginwardly-projecting jaws a a, Fig. 3, are

adapted to fit closely under the opposite lat-' eral flanges h h of thesplice-rail.

D D are bolts of the usual form connecting the upper opposite portionsof the angle splicebars through the main rails, and B B, Fig. 3, arecurved bolts passing through closely-fitting holes in the verticalmember of the splicerail, having their upwardlyinclined .ends passingout through closely-fitting holes in and connecting the opposite jaws aa, dependin g from the angle splice-bars. The depending jaws a a are soformed that their outside flat faces are at right angles to the upwardlyinclined bolt ends on their respective sides w J... Maw...

- and sufficiently far out from under the other parts of the structureas to admit of easy and rapid application of the ordinary trackwrench tothe securing-nuts on the curved bolts B, as Well as to admit of speedyexamination of these nuts from time to time.

The angle splice-bars are so formed that no part of them may come incontact with any Vertical part of the main rails or splice-rail or withthe edges of the rail-base or the edges of the flanges of thesplice-rail when applied.

All of the parts are so formed that when they'are assembled the upperpartsof the angle splice-bars fit the main rails as usual, and theirdepending inwardly-projecting jaws in connection with the truss-bolts Bhold the splice-rail firmly up and against the base of the main rails.

When the bolts D have firmly secured the upper portions of the anglesplice-bars to the main rails, a screwing up of the curved bolts B, Fig.3, will slightlyspring both of the angle splice-bars opposite the edgesof the mainrail base and force the inwardly-projecting portions of thejaws Ct a upward, firmly clamping together, viselike, the lateralflanges of the splice and main rails between said jaws and the lateralflanges of the angle splicebars, while the downward curve of the boltsB, by reason of the tension brought upon them when screwed up, gives anupward thrust to the vertical member of the splicerail also. Theopposite ends of the bolts B pass through closely-fitting holes in thedepending jaws a a and are held firmly up, even though the verticalmember of the splice rail should press heavily upon and deflect saidbolts at their centers.

Now as the heavily-loaded wheels pass along the main rails there is awave motion in the rails accompanying each wheel, the lowest part of therail being under the wheel and the highest part between the wheels, andwhen these waves reach the joint they tend to take an angular form,pointing first up and then down, by reason of the break of continuity inthe main rails. This down angle is the one mainly sought to be overcome.In my invention when the joint is pressed downward under the loadedwheel any tendency to deflect or to take an angular form tends toseparate the ends of the splice-rail from the base of the main rails.This tendency is first resisted by the inwardly-projecting jaws a aunder the lateral flanges of the splicerail, as well as by thetruss-bolts B, supporting the vertical member of the splice-rail, andshould any separation take place the immediate effect is that thevertical member of the splice-rail pressing downward upon the center ofthe suspending truss-bolts B slightly deflects the said bolts, sincetheir ends are firmly suspended. This deflection necessarily draws thetwo ends of the said bolts nearer together, and with them the dependingjaws, to which they are secured. This automatic pulling together of thedepending jaws thrusts their inner projections upward, and with them thesplice-rail, and instantly arrests further downward deflection of themain rails.

The bolts B are sufficiently flexible to admit of the necessarydeflection within the limit of their elasticity.

The splice-rail H, Fig. 3, fitting closely under the base of theadjacent ends of the two main rails and having its central verticalmember supported by the swinging trussbolts B, while its oppositelateral flanges h 7L and the flanges of the main-rail base are firmlyclamped in between the opposite jaws a a and the lateral flanges of theopposite angle splice-bars, will hold both the main-rail ends in truesurface with each other as the loaded wheels pass from one to the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a railroad-rail joint of the main rails, theT-shaped splice-rail H, having opposite lateral flan ges,the saidsplicerail adapted to fit centrally under and parallel with the mainrails between the adjacent cross-ties, the angle splice-bars, the upperparts of which are of the usual form, fitting in between the head andbase of the main rails, having a portion of their lower or lateralflanges extended outward and downward over and slightly beyond the edgeof the base of the main rails andconnected near the outer edge of saidbase with depending, inwardlyprojecting jaws adapted to fit under andagainst and grip the lateral flanges of the splice-rail, and to receivethrough holes the upwardly-inclined ends of the truss-bolts B,connecting the said opposite jaws in a swinging trusslike form downwardthrough the vertical member of the splice-rail, as and for the purposesspecified.

2. The combination in a railroad-rail joint of the T-shaped splice-railH, fitting under the main rails, having its opposite ends abuttingagainst the adjaeent cross-ties, and its opposite lateral flanges, h it,supported upon inwardly-projecting jaws depending from the lower orlateral flanges of the angle splicebars, and its vertical membersupported by the truss-bolts B, and the combination clamping and trussbolts B passing through the vertical member of said splice-rail andhaving their opposite ends curved upward and extending out through holesin the depending jaws, connecting said jaws in a swinging trusslike formdownward through the vertical member of the splice-rail, as and for thepurposes specified.

3. The combination in a railroad-rail joint of the opposite anglesplice-barsbolted to the main rails, each having jaws depending fromtheir lower or lateral flanges, the said jaws projecting inwardly andunder the opposite lateral flanges of the splice-rail and adapted toreceive and clamp, viselike, the said opposite flanges and the oppositeedges of the main-rail base firmly in between the said jaws and thelateral flanges of the angle splicebars, and the truss-bolts l3,connecting the said opposite jaws in a downward trusslike form throughthe vertical member of the splice-rail, and the vertical member of thesaid splice-rail pressing upon the downward curve of said bolts; saidbolts having the usual form of head and screw on their respective ends,as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination in a railroad-rail joint of the opposite jaws, a (1,depending from the lower lateral flanges of the opposite anglesplice-bars and projecting under the opposite lateral flanges, h h, ofthe splice-rail, the splice-rail having its opposite lateral flangessupported upon said jaws and the downwardly-curved combination clampingand truss bolts B connecting the said opposite jaws and supporting attheir centers the vertical member of the splice-rail in a swingingtrusslike form, as and for the purposes specified.

5. The combination in a railroad-rail joint of the swinging truss-boltsB, the splice-rail H, centrally under and parallel with the main railsand extending equally under the adjacent ends of the main rails, havinga central vertical member and two upper equal lateral flanges, thevertical member of the said splicerail supported by the swingingtruss-bolts, and the opposite jaws, a a, depending from the lowerlateral flanges of the angle splicebars and projecting under the'lateralflanges

